Just over four months on from their resounding 7-0 win over Romania, the Under-20 National Team are set to take to the pitch to play their final two matches in the Elite League. On Sunday, the Azzurrini will meet in Ascoli to begin their preparations for a key clash against the table-topping Germans, who sit just a point ahead of Italy. The game will take place at 17:00 CET on Thursday 24 March at the Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca, while, at 18:00 CET on Monday 28 March, Bollini’s side will play Norway in Sarpsborg – their final fixture of the tournament.

The Head Coach has called up 26 players for these two fixtures (nine born in 2001, 15 in 2002, two in 2003), with many new faces compared to November’s squad. Italy have played five Elite League matches so far and have two wins, two draws and a defeat to their name. They currently sit second in the standings, behind joint-leaders Germany and Romania, the latter of whom have played a game more. England, who sit one point adrift of the Azzurrini but with a game in hand, are still waiting for confirmation on when they’ll play Norway.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Denis Franchi (Paris Saint-Germain), Alessandro Russo (VV Sint-Truiden), Alessandro Sorrentino (Pescara);

Defenders: Tommaso Barbieri (Juventus), Riccardo Calafiori (Genoa), Andrea Carboni (Cagliari), Alessandro Circati (Parma), Christian Dalle Mura (Pordenone), Davide Angelo Ghislandi (Turris), Andrea Papetti (Brescia), Alessandro Pio Riccio (Juventus), Matteo Ruggeri (Salernitana);

Midfielders: Alessandro Bianco (Fiorentina), Jean Freddi Pascal Greco (Catania), Giuseppe Leone (Juventus), Tommaso Pantaleo Milanese (Alessandria), Simone Panada (Atalanta), Nikola Sekulov (Juventus), Cristian Volpato (Roma), Emanuele Zuelli (Juventus);

Forwards: Riccardo Ciervo (Sassuolo), Sebastiano Esposito (Basilea), Daniel Maldini (Milan), Luca Moro (Catania), Gaetano Pio Oristanio (Volendam), Edoardo Vergani (Salernitana).

Staff: Head Coach, Alberto Bollini; Delegation Head, Evaristo Beccalossi; Secretaries, Fabio Ferappi and Giulio Massi; Assistant Coach, Enrico Battisti; Fitness Coach, Marco Montini; Goalkeeping Coach, Graziano Vinti; Match Analyst, Francesco Donzella; Nutritionist, Andrea Carolina Striglio; Doctors: Emanuele Fabrizi and Matteo Vitali; Physiotherapists, Tommaso Cannata and Andrea Cantera.

Results and fixtures:

2 September 2021: Poland 0-2 ITALY, Romania 2-1 Portugal, Czech Republic 0-2 Germany

6-7 September 2021: Germany 1-1 Norway, England 6-1 Romania, Portugal 0-0 Poland;

7 October 2021: England 1-1 ITALY, Portugal 1-2 Norway, Romania 2-1 Czech Republic, Poland 0-0 Germany;

11-12 October 2021: Czech Republic 0-5 England; Germany 4-0 Romania; Norway 1-5 Poland, ITALY 1-1 Portugal;

11 November 2021: Portugal 2-0 England, Romania 2-1 Poland, ITALY 1-2 Czech Republic;

15 November 2021: ITALY 7-0 Romania, Czech Republic 1-1 Norway, Portugal 1-1 Germany;

24 March 2022: Portugal vs. Czech Republic, Poland vs. England, Romania vs. Norway, ITALY vs. Germany;

28 March 2022: Czech Republic vs. Poland, Norway vs. ITALY, England vs. Germany;

TBC: England vs. Norway.

Standings:

Germany 9 points (5 games played), Romania 9 points (6), ITALY 8 points (5), England 7 points (4), Portugal 6 points (6), Norway 5 points (4), Poland 5 points (5), Czech Republic 4 points (5).